Picture frame



Aug. 6, 1940. N. H'ORWITT 2.209972 PICTURE FRAME Filed Aug. 27, 1953 sSheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR AT I'QRNEY Aug 6, 1940. N.IG. HORWIII'TI':2,209,972

PICTURE FRAME Filed Aug. 27, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNVENTOR AT I'ORNEYNathanfieorgeffor itb I Aug. 6, 1940. Y N. G. HORWITT 2.209,972

PICTURE FRAME Filed Aug. 27, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR ATTORNEYNathanfieo 8H ms. 7

I Patented Aug. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- I PI 2,209,972

Nathan George Horwitt, New York. N. Y. Appllcatior; :li:::.-27;)No.221,052,

This invention relates to adjustable frames for supporting pictures,mirrors, plaques or other similar objects. The frames can be-used tosupport objects of different sizes. With my construction it is notnecessary to make a frame to order to suit pictures or mirrors, etc. ofeach particular size. In one form, the frame comprises pieces adapted tobe set over the corners of the picture, said pieces being pulledtogether against 0 the corners by adjustably set means. Said means inone form being made of cords or'straps and in another form of stifipieces slidably mounted on each" other. Locking devices are provided tohold releasably the adjustably set means in the positions set. Inanother form top and bottom channel pieces are provided to set over thetop and bottom edges of the picture. form, holding pieces are providedto support a circular or other curved. form of picture or mirror. Saidlatter form is also adapted to hold objects of polygonal. form having 3,4 or more sides.

forms which induce the weight of the frame and the object held therein,to cause the frame to grip the picture tightly. Rubber plugs areemployed in certain forms to wedge the cords attached to'the pictureholding pieces.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon further study ofthe description and 3 drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a perspective rearelevation of the strap type of frame having top and bottom members, saidframe being shown holding a picture. Fig. 2 is a perspective rearelevation of one type of string frame having corner pieces, a picturebeing shown supported in said frame.

Fig. 3 is a perspective rear elevation of a second type of string framehaving corner pieces, a picture being shown supported in said frame.

0 Fig. 41s a perspective rear elevation of a third type of string framehaving corner pieces, a picture being shown supported in said frame.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged rear elevation of 'the string clamp used in theframe of Fig. 4, the

5 front flanges of the clamp being broken away as are likewise portionsof the rubber plugs. The clamp is shown holding pieces of the strings.

Fig. 6 is a-section taken through-line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the rub-' ber plugs, shown byitself, which are used in the clamp of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of a string frame having a top and a bottompiece for supporting the a picture shown.

In another Hanging means are provided in certain Fig. 9 is a partialsection taken along theline 9 .9 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the rubber plug used in theframe of Fig. 8, said plug being shown by itself.

said frame. 15

Fig. 13 is a rear elevation of a frame similar to that shown in Fig. 11,except that the corner pieces are of a type suitable to support a roundpicture or mirror, and

Fig. 14 is a partial section, to an enlarged scale, taken alongthe lineI4-I4 of Fig. 13.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is seen a frame having an upper supportingchannel piece I5 and a lower supporting channel piece I6. Attached toupper piece I5 is a length of strap I1, the

lower end of strap I! being made fast 'to a buckle I8. Attached to lowerpiece I6 is a length of strap I9 threaded through buckle III, the looseend of strap I9 being shown at 20. Buckle I8 as shown is of the wellknown type consisting so of two loops. of course it is readilyunderstood other types of adjustable buckles can beused. Attached'tostrap I1 is a hanging loop 2| which can be used to hang the frame from anail or hook in a wall or .to be supported by any other a suitablemeans. Upper and lower pieces I5 and I6 are preferably of a constructionshown for channel-piece 56, Fig. 9. I They are also similar to thatshown for similar pieces in Patent No. 2,016,942, Oct. 8, 1935 to N. G.Horwitt et al. 0 Such pieces are shown at 2I and 21, Figs. 1, 2, 3, a

7, 10 and 11 or at 50, Fig. 12 of said patent.

In use, upper piece I5 is-set over the top edge of glass 22, picture 23and backing sheet 24, while lower piece I6 is mounted on their loweredge. Loose end 26 of strap I9 is then pulled upon causing said strap tobe tightened in buckle I8, placing both straps I1 and I9 under tensionand thereby causing upper and lower pieces I5 and I6, to grip tightlyglass 22, picture 23 and 5 backing 24.

In the frame illustrated in Fig. 2 there are two upper corner pieces 25and two lower corner pieces 26. Each of said pieces is provided with astruck up tongue 21.- The back of each of u tongue 21 of upper righthand corner piece 25,

the loose end 29 of said string being looped downward. On its wayupward, string 28 passes through the right hand side loop of hangermember 30. In a similar manner, string 3|, having a knot at its lowerend, is caught under tongue 21 of right hand lower piece 26 and extendsdiagonally upward passing under tongue 21 of 'upper left hand piece 25,the loose end 32 of said string being loopeddownward. On its way upward,string 3| passes through the left hand side loop of hanger member 36.The upstanding loop of hanger member 36 can be used to hang the framefrom a nail in a wall or to support said frame by any other suitablemeans.

To use the frame of Fig. 2, right hand lower corner piece 26 is placedover the right hand lower corner of glass 22, picture 23 and backingsheet 24, while upper left hand corner piece 25 is placed over theirupper left hand corners.

String 3| is pulled tight about and wedged behind tongue 21 of upperleft hand corner piece 25. In a similar manner, lower left hand cornerpiece 26 is placed over the lower left hand corner of glass 22, picture23 and backing sheet 24, while upper right hand comer piece 25 is placedover their upper right hand corner. String 28 is pulled tight about andwedged behind tongue 21 of upper right hand corner piece 25. Bothstrings 28 and 3| are passed through their respective loops of hangermember 30 as explained before. When the: frame and its contents aresupported, say from a nail in the wall, said nail being inserted throughthe upstanding loop of hanger member 36, the side loops of said memberslide up on strings 28 and 3| increasing their tautness.

The frame of Fig. 3 has upper corner pieces 34 and lower corner pieces35 said comer pieces being similar to the corner pieces of Fig. 2 exceptthat instead of having tongues 21, they have loops 36 struck up fromthem. String 31 is inserted through loop 36 of lower left hand cornerpiece 35, a knot on said string keeping it from being pulled through.The upper end of string 31 is passed through the loop 36 of upper righthand corner piece 34, its free end being brought down and tied aroundknob 33 of hanger member 40. On its way up from lower left hand piece 35to upper right hand piece 34, string 31 passes through loop 4| on hangermember 46. In a similar manner, string 38, having a knot at its lowerend, is passed through loop 36 of lower right hand corner piece 35 andextends diagonally upward, passing through loop 4| on its way to loop 36through which it is passed, its free end being brought down and tiedaround knob 39. From the above description and the explanation of theoperation of the frame of Fig. 2 it is evident how the frame of Fig. 3is used. Tab 42 on hanger member 46 has a hole 43 in it which can beused to hang the frame from a nail in a wall or to support said frame byany other suitable means. The tautness of strings 31 and 36 is increasedwhen the frame is hung by hanger member 46.

-The frame of Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 has comer pieces 34 and 35 just as inthe frame of Fig. 3, the difference from said latter frame occurring inthe strings and the means for fastening them. A lower string 44 isprovided having a knot at each end, the ends of the string passingthrough loops 36 on the bottom corner pieces 35. An intermediate portionof string 44 is threaded through lower flanges 45 of hanger member 46.In passing through, string 44 passes between flanges 45 and the inclinedsides of tapered rubber plug 41. In a similar manner upper string 48having a knot at each end, passes through loops 36 on upper cornerpieces 34. An intermediate portion of string 48 is threaded throughupper flanges 49 of hanger member 46. In passing'through, string 48passes between flanges 43 and the inclined sides of tapered rubber plug50. Plugs 41 and 50 are each provided with a thumb piece 5|. A notch 52is formed in the upper end of plug 41 and in the lower edge of plug 56.Between plugs 41 and 56, and extending into notches, 52 is a compressionspring 53.

Hanger member 46 is provided with a tab 54 I having a hole 55 in itenabling the frame to be hung from a nail in a wall or to be supportedby any other suitable means. 1

In using the frame of Figs. 4-7, the corner pieces 34 and 35 are placedover the corners of glass 22, picture 23 and backing sheet 24. Ihumbpiece 5| of plug- 41 is pushed up forcing plug 41 up against thepressure of spring 53. This leaves added space betwe egi the taperedsides of plug 41 and lower flanges 45, so that string 44 can readily bepulled up, drawing corner pieces 35 tightagainst the objects held in theframe. When thumb piece 5| is released, spring 53 pushes plug 41 downgripping string 44. Any tendency of string 44 to pull down only causesplug 41 to grip tighter. In a similar manner thumb piece 5| of plug 56is pushed down against the pressure of spring 53. This leaves addedspace between the tapered sides of plug 50 and upper flanges 43 so thatstring 48 can readily be pulled down drawing comer pieces 34 tightagainst the objects held in the frame. When thumb piece 5| of plug 50 isreleased, string 48 is tightly gripped as explained above for string 44.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 show a frame having an upper channel piece 56 and alower channel piece 51, said pieces being similar in their grippingaction on glass 22, picture 23 and backing sheet 24, held in the frame,to the channel pieces l5 and I6 of Fig. 1. Piece 56 has a member 58flxedly attached to it. A tongue 53 is struck up from member 53. Hole 68is provided in member 58 to enable the frame to be hung from a nail in awall or to be supported by any other suitable means. Member 58 hasflanges 6| which are similar to flanges 45 of Fig. 4. A tapered rubberplug 62, having a thumb piece 63, is provided to insert between flanges6|. Lower channel piece 51 is provided with struck up tongues 64. Knotsare provided on the ends of string 65, said string near its ends beingslipped under tongues 64. String 65 is led inside of flanges 6|, andwhen pulled up as tightly as possible is wedged therein by pushing downplug 62 in said flanges. Any tendency of string 65 to loosen itself onlycauses plug 62 to grip tighter.

Upper comer pieces 66, in the modification shown in Fig. 11, are similarto corner pieces 34 of Fig. 3, except that the former are pivoted bymeans of pins 61 to bars 68. Similarly lower comer pieces 69 are pivotedby means of pins 16 to channel guides 1|. Bars 68 are slidably mountedin channel guides 1|. Projecting from one side of the web of each guide1| is an ear each bar 68 in various up and down positions on its guide Hso that corner pieces 66 and 69 may be set to suit the height of thepicture to be supported by the frame. The lateral adjustment of saidcorner pieces is effected by varying the angle between links H. When theframe is hung from hanger 16, said angle tends to become less', causinga constant lateral pressure of the corner pieces against a picture heldin the frame.

The frame shown in Fig. 1215' a modification of that shown in Fig. 11.The corner pieces 66 and 69, the latter not being shown, are the same asin Fig. 11. Bars 68 are also the same. Channel guides 80 each have anear [2. Pivotally mounted on each ear I2 is an eccentric latch 8|forlocking each bar 68 in various up and down positions on itsguide 88so that corner pieces 86 and 89 may be set to suit the height of thepicture to be supported by the frame. String 82, which has a knot ateach end, passes through the openings provided at the outer ends oflatches 8| and the openings provided in ears 83 at the upper .ends ofguides 80. In the draw; ings, string 82 is shown as passing over a nail84 from which the frame is hung. The weight of the frame and the objectsupported thereby causes atension in string 82, the horizontal componentof said tension causing a constant lateral pressure of the corner piecesagainst the object held in the frame.

The frame of Figs. 13 and 14' is especially adapted for supporting around object such as a circular or elliptical mirror or picture. Saidframe is the same as the frame of Fig. 11 except for the corner piecesand. the bottom of the guides. Instead of corner pieces 86, each bar 68has mounted on its upper end a pin 88 having a small head at its rearand a large head or flange 81 at its front. Mounted on pin 88 is asleeve 88 preferably of rubber. Flange 81 is of larger diameter than theoutside diameter of sleeve 88. On thebottom'of each guide 80 is mounteda pin 88 having a head 88, flange 87 and sleeve 89. The mirror 8|engages sleeves 89 on all pins 88 and is held back from falling forwardout of the frame by flanges 81. The frame is adjusted as to height bythe sliding of bars 68 in guides 90, the bars being locked in positionby eccentric latches 18. The pull of hanger 16 on the upper ends oflinks14 causes sleeves89 to press laterally towards each other.

In the claims, the frame is specified as supporting a picture, but Iwish it to be understood that other objects such as the glass cover forthe picture, mirrors and plaques are meant as well.

In Fig. 1 a strap is used, and in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8 strings are usedfor holding the picture gripping pieces against the edge of the picture.While a strap is preferable in Fig. 1, strings could be used instead.Likewise, while strings are preferable in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 8, strapscould be used. The term "flexible strip is generic to both a strap and astring and it is intended to have this meaning in the claims.

. I claim: 1. A frame for supporting a picture comprising piecesengaging the edge of the picture, a

' flexible strip in the form of a loop connecting said pieces, -meanshaving spaced guides, the

space between said guides tapering ina direc-- 'tion parallel to theplane of the picture; each leg of the loop passing along a guide, and aresilient plug having a taper complementary to the taper of the spacebetween the guides, said plug piece formed to set over respectively theupper and lower edges of the picture, a flexible strip in the form of aloop connecting said pieces, means fixed to the upper channel piecehaving spaced guide channels, the space between the guide channelstapering in a direction parallel to the plane of the picture with thesmall end at the bottom, each leg' of the loop passing through a guidechannel, a resilient plug 'having a taper complementary to the taper ofthe space between the guide' channels, said plug being removablyinserted in said space and between the legs of the loop, said plugbinding the legs in the guide channels against the tension induced inthe strip by pulling thereon to tighten the frame on the picture, andhanging means fixed to ,the upper channel piece for supporting theframe.

3. A frame for supporting a picture comprising an-upper piece and alower piece formed to engage respectively the upper and lower edges ofthe picture, a'fiexible strip in the form of a loop connecting saidpieces, means fixed to one of said pieces having spaced guides, thespace between the guides tapering in a direction substantially parallelto the plane of the picture with the small end toward the other of saidpieces, each leg of the loop passing along one of said guides, aresilient plug having a taper complementary to the taper. of the spacebetween the guides, said plug being removably inserted in said space andbetween the legs of the loop, the

pulling of the legs of the strip through the guides inducing tension inthe strip and causing said pieces to press against the edges of thepicture, said plug binding the legs in the guides against the tensionthus induced in the strip, and means fixed to one of said pieces forsupporting the frame.

4. A frame for supporting a picture comprising an upper piece and alower piece formed to engage respectively the upper and'lower edges ofthe picture, flexible strip means attached at one portion to the lowerpiece, a clamp for releasably locking the opposite portion of said stripmeans in the position set, said-clamp being fixedly mounted on the upperpiece, said strip means being slidable in the clamp, the pulling of saidopposite portion through the clamp inducing tension in the strip means,causing said pieces to press against the edge of the picture, saidclamp-enabling the strip means to be locked in the position set by saidpulling.

5. A frame for supporting a picture comprising an upper piece and alower piece formed to piece to come 'in the middle of the picturetransversely when the upper piece is mounted thereon, the other end ofthe loop being slidable in the clamp, the pulling of the upper end ofthe loop through the clamp inducing tension in the loop, causing saidpieces to press against the edge of the picture, said clamp enabling theloop to be locked in the position set by said pulling.

6. A frame for supporting a picture as claimed I in claim 4 in which theclamp is fixedly mounted on the upper piece in such position as to comein the middle 01' the picture transversely when the upper piece ismounted thereon.

'7. A frame for supporting a picture as claimed in claim 4 havinghanging means fixedly mounted on the upper piece in such position as tocome in the middle of the picture transversely when the upper piece ismounted thereon.

' NATHAN GEORGE HORWI'I'I.

